Nov 21 The Power of Fear

There aren't many things that can hinder us like fear can.
When we aren't ourselves, often times, it is because we are afraid we won't be accepted.

When we don't follow our dreams, often times, it is because we are afraid of failure.

When we don't love deeply, often times, it is because we are afraid we will get hurt.

And when we don't help people, often times, it is because we are afraid we will be taken advantage of.

This is the power of terror.

And we can not let it win.

We can not let terror keep us from chasing our dreams, being ourselves, or from building meaningful relationships with people who might (and probably will) hurt us.

And yet we let it do this on a daily basis.

So often I find myself trying to act one way or another because I'm afraid that people won't approve of me if I just relax and be myself. And so often I don't take the time to help someone because I am afraid for my own well-being and don't want to be taken advantage of.

But God calls us to trust in him. His word tells us that he is greater than any bout of evil or fear that we may have to face on this earth and that he has overcome the world.

Psalm 27:1- "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

John 16:33- "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

God says do not be afraid. God says that He is with us even as we walk through the valleys of death.

This week I posted about my stance on whether or not the U.S. should allow Syrian refugees into our nation.

Tonight, I am encouraging us all to respond in love, and not fear. I'm not saying we let everyone in without proper screening and safety measures, or without paying attention to the resources these people will need in order to not just become another member of our homeless population. But what I am saying, is that we find a way to help.

Jesus loved the vulnerable, and he calls us to do the same.

Whether it be us going and serving them where they are, praying for them from where we are, giving financially as we are able, or welcoming them as we come, I am asking that we respond in love and not in fear.

Because the second we fear, is the second we let the terrorists win.

I am confident that there will be more attacks. I am confident that there are many people who want us dead. But I am also confident that our God has already overcome all of these things.

So let us not draw back from their punches. Let us go forth and swing strong with love, grace, truth, and justice.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18

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In a conversation with my roommates the other day, I compared walking through this life with walking through a minefield...

There would be some seasons of life where we would be walking in between the buried land mines, but we were bound to step on a few along the way.

That was my life advice for our conversation that we were having about all the many changes that life brings and all the hard things we seem to have to go through to learn and grow.

To which my roommate so lovingly and semi-sarcastically responded, "Wow, Anna. That was really helpful."

lol.

If you know me well, you know that I can tend to take a slightly critical view on things. I'd like to say I am a realist, but I also know I can lean towards the overly critical.

So the sarcastic admonishment from my friend was well deserved.

And while it has been said before - and with great truth - that we are either preparing for a storm, walking through one, or coming out of one, we as Christians can not use these phrases as an excuse to have a negative view on this life we've been given.

Growing up in the Arizona desert, rain can come to feel like just as exciting of a phenomenon as snow on Christmas Day.

Things aren't much different here in Texas.

When it rain we immediately have to drive 10mph on roads where the normal speed limit is 65mph. We take videos, don't leave our houses, and will use it as an excuse to not go to the grocery store, run errands, or skip church.

You think I'm kidding...

Nevertheless rain is not something we can go without. Not even in Texas or Arizona.